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Reciprocal differences have been observed widely for given traits in fish breeding programs, but maternal and paternal effects and heritable extranuclear genetic effects have often been omitted in the evaluation of genetic variance. In this study, we have applied a mixed genetic model to conduct a complete diallel cross using three varieties of red common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), namely, C.carpio. var. singuonensis, C. carpio var. wuyuanensis and C.carpio var. color. Parental and direct (additive and dominance) genetic effects for growth-related traits at 8 and 20 months post-hatch were analyzed. At 8 months post-hatch, only significant additive and dominance variances were observed, while maternal and paternal variances were low and non-significant in the traits evaluated: body weight, total length, standard length, pre-dorsal height, pre-dorsal width, caudal peduncle length, and caudal peduncle height. At 20 months post-hatch, with the exception of significant additive and/or dominance variances, maternal variances were significant for the traits of body weight, pre-dorsal height, pre-dorsal width, and caudal peduncle height, and the paternal variance was significant only for total length. The maternal effects in the common carp had greater genetic influence on offspring than the paternal effects. Female C. carpio var. wuyuanensis were more suitable as brooders than males, but both female and male C. carpio var. color can be used as brooders according to breeding programs of improved traits. Cyprinus carpio var. singuonensis was the worst brooder of the three varieties of common carp evaluated.

Natural rubber latex glove use is widespread in mainland China, but the prevalence and risk factors for latex glove allergy among clinical nurses have previously been unreported.A questionnaire was used to collect information on latex glove-related allergy among clinical nursing staff in 35 hospitals of eight provinces in the southern, central southern, and northern regions of China, and the risk factors were calculated with logistic regression analysis. Some subjects with glove dermatitis were patch tested with a modified European standard series of allergens.Among 8485 female nurses in eight provinces of China, overall prevalence of latex glove allergy was 8.8%. Of 743 symptomatic nurses, 573 (77.1%) and 475 (63.9%) reported symptoms suggestive of glove dermatitis and type I latex allergy, respectively. Of 69 randomly selected subjects with glove dermatitis, 18 (26.1%) had a positive patch to rubber additives. Employment seniority, positive family and personal history of allergic diseases, and longer extent of time spent in a single hospital room were associated with latex allergy, while using5 pairs of gloves per working day may be a protective factor.Chinese nurses are at high risk for latex sensitization. Nurses who develop latex-related symptoms after exposure to latex gloves should undergo screening tests for latex allergy. Low-protein, powder-free natural rubber latex gloves, or latex-free gloves should be widely adopted in China, along with other preventive measures.

Dear Editor: Glomus tumors (GTs) are characterized by the triad of severe pain, pinpoint tenderness, and cold sensitivity. Most GTs are located in the fingertips, especially in the subungual region1,2. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are useful for preoperative diagnosis, and complete excision is usually recommended1,2,3,4,5. Although it is feasible to use multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in the diagnosis of suspected vascular diseases, it has been not applied in subungual GT. Here, we describe a patient with a subungual GT that was identified using MDCT angiography. This study is approved by Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College (IRB No. PJ2012131). A 23-year-old woman presented with a 2-year history of severe pain in the thumb of the right hand on touch or exposure to cold. Physical examination revealed a 6×4-mm, purplish, flush with distal yellowish discoloration on the proximal nail plate of the right thumb (Fig. 1A). Palpation of the nail yielded excruciating pain. The patient was otherwise healthy and routine laboratory results were unremarkable. Ultrasonography revealed a 5.1×2.2-mm, hypervascular, hypoechogenic mass in the proximal nail bed of the right thumb. Fig. 1 Subungual glomus tumor on the distal part of the right thumb. (A) A 6×4-mm purplish flush (arrow) with distal yellowish discoloration on the right thumb. (B) No nail abnormality present at 4 months postoperation. The patient underwent 64-MDCT (Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany), and three-dimensional volume-rendered images were acquired on a workstation using 0.6-mm slice thickness and 0.4-mm interval. The scanned area ranged from the fingertips to the distal parts of the metacarpal bones of the right thumb. The contrast-enhanced scan was performed after pre-contrast scanning; image acquisition was begun after a delay of 30 s. The enhanced scanning showed a subungual nodule on the radial side of the right thumb and a depression of the distal phalanx. Volume-rendered reconstruction of bone images revealed a local depression in the distal phalanx of the right thumb, while vascular reconstruction enabled the visualization of a 4.5×3.5-mm subungual mass (Fig. 2) Fig. 2 Volume-rendered image of the vascular reconstruction displaying a hypervascularized nodule (arrow) overlying the distal phalanx of the right thumb. The patient underwent a transungual tumor resection with nail plate avulsion. A poorly demarcated reddish nodule was excised en bloc, followed by radiofrequency destruction. The nail bed wound healed through secondary wound closure. Pathological examination showed numerous small blood vessels surrounded by clusters of uniform cells. The cells were round with faintly eosinophilic cytoplasm and round nuclei. CD34 immunoreactivity was detected in both tumor and vascular endothelial cells, while α-smooth muscle actin was detected in the tumor cells. A diagnosis of subungual GT was made based on clinicopathologic clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical results. The patient had no nail abnormality at the 6-month follow-up (Fig. 1B). Since GT tumors are often only a few millimeters in size and the resection area is small, the surgical management of subungual GTs is challenging3. Ultrasound and MRI can display GTs as small as 2 mm in diameter1,4, but they are unable to achieve satisfactory bone imaging. Furthermore, it is difficult to display small and flattened subungual lesions with ultrasonography because the imaging results are often operator-dependent and the nail plate curvature may contribute to artifacts in the lateral nail folds4. In the presented case, repetitive ultrasonography showed a poorly demarcated hypoechogenic nodule, while MDCT angiography delineated a well-defined mass overlying a depression of the distal phalanx. Three-dimensional reconstruction can illustrate the tumor, vascular branches, and bony components in a single image. Therefore, although composite images of photography and ultrasonography can often identify the location and extent of subungual GTs5, MDCT angiography may be a more promising technique for an ill-defined tumor. In all, 5%~50% of postoperative recurrences are due to incomplete surgical removal of the tumor4. Because the tumor in the current case had ill-defined margins and a deep location, subsequent radiofrequency destruction was employed to prevent a possible recurrence.